Research: Cardiovascular physiology

ABOUT OUR RESEARCH

Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

These include diseases that are:

• a direct consequence of cardiac - such as cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiomyopathies

• vessel associated conditions - such as atherosclerosis, stroke and hypertension

• an indirect result of other influences - such as immobility, inactivity, obesity, inflammation, diabetes and renal disorders

Keeping our hearts and blood vessels healthy is pivotal to ensuring adequate tissue perfusion and organ function. Poor diameter regulation is an early sign of endothelial and vascular dysfunction and is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. 

We use in-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-vivo approaches to investigate the mechanisms that underpin these conditions and explore therapeutic intervention strategies to alleviate their adverse consequences.

VASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY

Investigating the function of blood vessels, and how they constrict and relax, is key to understanding cardiovascular health and disease.

Our aim is to improve blood flow into the heart and other organs to prevent future heart attacks and strokes.

We are interested in:

• the use of strategies and patient-led interventions to provide stratified treatment of vascular diseases towards personalised medicine

• collaborating with clinicians and scientists from different specialist fields to develop drugs based on natural products, to understand ways they can be taken up into cells more easily using nanotechnology

• mimicking disease states such as high blood pressure, diabetes and inflammation

• the development and exploitation of an ex vivo vascular model as a valuable bioassay for testing novel nanomaterials and compounds towards the restoration of endothelial and blood vessel dilator function

ACADEMIC PAPERS

• Avila, A, Claes, J, Buys, R, Azzawi, M, Vanhees, L and Cornelissen, V (2020) Home-based exercise with telemonitoring guidance in patients with coronary artery disease: Does it improve long-term physical fitness? European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, Volume 27, Issue 4, 1 March 2020, pp 367–377

• Diaz, M, Avila, A, Degens, H, Coeckelberghs, H, Vanhees, L, Cornelissen, V and Azzawi, M (2020) Acute resveratrol supplementation in coronary artery disease: towards patient stratification Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal, 54:1, pp14-19

• Leong, HS, Butler, KS, Brinker, CJ et al (2019) On the issue of transparency and reproducibility in nanomedicine Nat, Nanotechnol, 14, pp 629–635 

• Zaabalawi, A, Astley, C, Renshall, L, Beards, F, Lightfoot, AP, Degens, H, Whitehead, D, Alexander, Y, Harris, LK and Azzawi, M (2019) Tetramethoxystilbene-Loaded Liposomes Restore Reactive-Oxygen-Species-Mediated Attenuation of Dilator Responses in Rat Aortic Vessels Ex vivo. Molecules 2019, 24, 4360

CARDIO AND CEREBROVASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY

We focus on integrative neural and metabolic control of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular function.

Using in-vivo human models, we investigate questions relating to:

• tissue perfusion

• endothelial function

• cardiac autonomic control

• neural feedforward and feedback influences

• cardioactive/vasoactive metabolomics in at-rest and exercising healthy (ageing, sex and ethnicity) and patient (cardiac and renal) populations

We are developing a research-intensive lab within the Centre for Bioscience and actively collaborate with leading national and international academics and clinicians.

Our work aims to:

• elucidate the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms to help increase general wellbeing

• reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases

CARDIOVASCULAR INFLAMMATION

Tumour Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) and Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) are both pro-inflammatory cytokines that are elevated in sepsis. While they serve an important role in fighting infection, high cytokine levels can contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease.  

The underlying molecular mechanism controlling calcium handling during inflammation may affect cardiac function through the potentiation of a calcium ion channel on the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

We are interested in exploring further the contribution of cytokines and other inflammatory mediators in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease.

ACADEMIC PAPERS

• Poster Communications: The effects of TNF-α and IL-1β on intracellular calcium handling and contractility in sheep ventricular myocytes